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Applesauce Blog

It is nearing the end of the summer season and the beginning
of the harvest season here in central Washington. In addition, one of the most prevalent pieces
of produce that is ready to harvest is the state of Washington’s apples. For the last two weeks, CSML has obtained
over 7,000 pounds of fresh gala apples that would have otherwise gone to
waste. It got me thinking about the
various ways we can use apples in our meals.
We can eat them straight out raw, put them in a pie, make them a side
dish or snack, or even bread products such as apple cinnamon damper bread (an
Australian soda bread I made after I studied abroad there).

Recently, I had the opportunity to help a fellow patron and
fellow produce donor with making applesauce for her and her family. It was fascinating to experience the amount
of work it takes to make it; from the peeling of the apples and putting them in
the pot, to adding the right type of cinnamon (Saigon Cinnamon to be exact
because it has a stronger flavor), as well as letting it sit on the stove until
it was the right consistency. Finally,
you can either can it or just freeze it for later use.

Applesauce has a broad use.
It can be used as a side dish for foods such as pork chops or potato
pancakes. It can be mixed into other
foods such as oatmeal or even plain yogurt.
It adds a sweet flavor to anything that is savory or bland. More importantly, it is an easy way to obtain
your daily serving of fruit. Consuming
whole apples provide antioxidants that prevent such diseases as Type 2
Diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol.
Although minuscule compared to whole apples, 1 cup of HOMEMADE and
UNSWEETENED applesauce provides 2.7 grams of fiber, which is 11% of the daily
requirement of 25 grams a day. For more
information on the list of benefits of applesauce, visit http://thescienceofeating.com/2014/11/10/benefits-of-unsweetened-applesauce/.

Applesauce is an easy and creative way to obtain a small
amount of your daily fiber needs. It is
easy to eat, it can be applied to other savory foods, and has added benefits if
homemade and unsweetened. Here is a
simple recipe on how to make homemade applesauce for you and your family (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/applesauce). It is your choice on how you want to make it
but the added benefits with it are far-reaching.

The Moses Lake Food Bank seeks “to alleviate hunger in our
community by providing assistance that is simple in style and exemplifies the
spirit of providing for one’s neighbor…”
We hope you consider that when you either join us at our gleaning events
or when you donate food or money. Please
keep continuing to support us and our mission to provide healthy food for our
patrons.